Alwar MP and BJP candidate from the Tijara Assembly constituency, Baba Balkanath equated the electoral contest between him and Congress' Imran Khan with an India-Pakistan cricket match. He appealed to voters to come out in large numbers and vote on 25 November.

Tijara has a mixed population of Hindus and Muslims. Political observers view these statements as an attempt of polarisation in the region. Addressing a gathering in Bhiwadi on Monday (13 November), Baba Balkanath stated that increasing the voting percentage is crucial.

In a viral video on social media, he likened the current scenario to an India-Pakistan match, saying, "This fight is not just for victory; it is also a battle for voting percentage," Live Hindustan reported.

Further, he mentioned, "These tribes have come together, and we need to thwart their plan by defeating them in terms of voting percentage, so that they do not conspire to unite in the future and defeat the Sanatana Dharma." However, he did not specify which tribe he was referring to.

When contacted by PTI, Baba Balkanath stated, "I am urging people to come out in larger numbers to increase the voting percentage." He emphasised that if the voting percentage of minority voters is higher, it should also be higher for Hindu voters.

This statement comes after Baba Balkanath has been in the headlines for his remarks. Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath had also campaigned for Baba Balkanath in his nomination.